This invention provides methods and apparatus for ionizing all the elements in a complex substance such as radioactive waste and for separation of some of the elements from the other elements. One principal methods utilizes plasma confinement by toroidal magnetic fields as a gate to regulate when and where specific elements are collected. While the plasma is confined, some of the species are removed by repeatedly cycling all of the species between the plasma and the deposition stages lining the ...

This invention provides methods and apparatus for continuously and efficiently separating the elements in a complex substance such as radioactive waste with a large volume plasma processor. One principal methods utilizes plasma confinement by toroidal magnetic fields with a poloidal divertor magnetic field and converts the plasma from a process plasma to a product plasma at a rapid rate permitting injection of a series of pellets, droplets or streams while the toroidal current in the plasma is m...

Methods of drying ink using microwaves includes heating deposited ink droplets by passing a microwave applicator over them. In another embodiment, a swath of ink droplets is deposited with a plurality of sequential passes of an ink jet print head, and the deposited drops are dried between passes.

An apparatus for efficiently coupling microwave energy to a highly dissipative load such as a plasma lamp tube. A longitudinally extending lamp tube is enclosed in a longitudinally extending non-resonant microwave chamber having a pair of coupling slots therein which are oriented perpendicular to the direction of the lamp tube. The slots are azimuthally offset in opposite directions with respect to a longitudinally extending top center line of the chamber by about 15.degree. to 20.degree., and a...

A microwave ink drying apparatus for an ink jet printer includes a microwave applicator. The applicator may be attached to a movable print carriage. The applicator may further comprise a slot antenna. The slot antenna may be formed as a dual slot, with one portion of the slot coupled to a wave launching cavity, and the other portion of the slot coupled to an impedance matching cavity.

A microwave applicator suitable for drying sheet material is configured as a dual slot antenna, with one portion of the slot coupled to a wave launching cavity, and the other portion of the slot coupled to an impedance matching cavity.

An invention for supplying power to a well. In one embodiment power heats a tubing from adjacent the surface to a selected level to prevent the formation of solids. The tubing is heated by passing an electric current therethrough. In one form the tubing is insulated from the wellhead and the casing down to a selected level where an electrical connection is made between the tubing and casing. Current is applied to the tubing at a point below an insulating tubing collar. In another form an insulat...